FoodBanter.com - View Single Post - Best pastes for restaurant style Chicken Tikka Masala

(George Bray) wrote in
m:

> Steve Grace was kind enough to recommend a Pat Chapman recipe for
> Chicken Tikka Masala (CTM) from his book "Bangladeshi Restaurant
> Curries".

> If specifically after the typical taste of a UK restaurant style CTM,
> has anyone found specific brands of pastes which give the closest
> result? Perhaps you even know which brands of paste your local
> restaurant use! Or is is best to go through the long-drawn-out process
> of making Pat Chapman's various pastes at home? I assume the mix of
> paste could have a significant impact on the final flavour.

> The items I refer to a

> 1.5 tablespoons bottled mild curry paste
> 1.5 tablespoons bottled tandoori paste

> Which brands give the restaurant flavour?

I don't use bottled pastes. They must be preserved, since the manufacturer
has no way of knowing when they will be bought or used, which means that
preservatives must be added - that usually affects the taste.

Restaurant cooking is very different from home cooking, and home cooks make
their own pastes fresh. Restaurants might use canned or bottled ingredients
simply because of the volume of business they do. Go with the fresh pastes.

> The Pat Chapman recipe also mentions:
> 1-tablespoon vinegar, any type
>
> Is any type better than another? White wine or basalmic vinegar
> perhaps?

*Never* use balsamic vinegar for Indian food. True balsamic vinegar is
very, very expensive, and is used in *tiny* quantities to flavour good
Italian food. If you bought a "balsamic" vinegar that was affordable,
chances are it's comparatively inexpensive red wine vinegar with sugar and
possibly other flavourings added.

I wouldn't use white wine vinegar either. Most Indians would probably use
fresh lime or lemon juice to add tartness, or perhaps a tart yoghurt,
depending on the region. Try tamarind juice if you're trying to thicken the
sauce.

sq